I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Chewing on the word repeatedly, Kasumigaoka Utaha slowly widened her eyes, couldn't help but gasp, and blurted out her guess with disbelief: "Wait, you mean, the being who gave that guy missions, stole Yukinoshita and the others' memories, and manipulated the world so many times, isn't some all-powerful god, but—"

A game system?!

"This is no game, nor is it something to joke about."

With a flourish, Kasugano Sora tossed her long hair and corrected her with a stern face: "The origin is unknown, and the method of operation is also unknown. Anyway, one day during summer vacation, Yu obtained this 'Life Achievement System'—as long as he completes achievements, he can get all sorts of rewards, money, special abilities, even physical attributes, everything, except for the penalty for failure. And from that moment on, his life was no longer ordinary!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eye twitched: "What kind of third-rate novel introduction is this..."

That wasn't all. Kasugano Sora raised another finger and added, "By the way, Yu was originally an ordinary office worker in a major country across the sea. He was reborn in Japan in an accident, which is why he has the mindset of an adult at such a young age and was able to raise me on his own... The veracity of this is debatable, but that's what he told me anyway."

"This kind of life is already extraordinary enough, okay?!"

Panting, Kasumigaoka Utaha withdrew her gaze, at a loss for words.

The amount of information was overwhelming. She instinctively held her head, the chaotic information crammed into her brain, giving her both a headache and a tightness in her chest, leaving her momentarily unsure of what expression to make.

Suddenly, I met the gaze of those eyes that seemed to be sparkling in front of me.

At that moment, the icy coldness she used against the enemy unconsciously melted away, transforming into the gentleness and lightness she had seen in the living room before.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was slightly taken aback. Her chaotic thoughts and bewildered mood were like a wild cat whose fur had been calmed, no longer causing her such a headache.

Perhaps, even she herself didn't realize it?

—Kasugano Sora was genuinely happy when she talked about him.

However, I don't know why.

Her smile appeared to be a genuine, radiant one, yet it gave the impression that she was about to burst into tears of regret.

Chapter 49 A Date with Iroha Isshiki (26/55)

The time was 5 p.m. the following day.

After making dinner for her younger sister, Yuu Tenkuji left home dressed casually and carrying a shoulder bag.

The crows singing at dusk are no longer the only source of disturbance to the peace of the streets; people are emerging from the streets and alleys everywhere, strolling and chatting lazily.

Whether it's a family, a couple, or a child waving a sparkler, you can often see the anticipation in their eyes for nightfall.

The lively atmosphere was already taking shape, with many women changing into elegant yukatas. Although not as formal and luxurious as kimonos, they made the women look beautiful in a way that was different from the past, and their beauty had a festive feel to it.

As for the men, some did indeed dress in a cool outfit like Jinbe's—but since it's a city, apart from foreign tourists who want to experience different cultures, local men mostly wear casual clothes to participate in the temple fair.

Take Yu Tenkuji for example. Even though his junior schoolmate asked him to change into Jinbe's clothes on LINE, he still went out wearing a polo shirt and trousers, and instead of wooden clogs, he wore sneakers for easy movement.

"There are still the same number of people..."

Stepping out of her home and walking along the riverbank, amidst the surging crowds like swimming fish, Tenkuji Yu sighed with emotion.

It was the Ghost Festival, and the fireworks display and temple fair were routine events. He had attended several times before—he felt better than his sister, but he didn't really enjoy the chaotic atmosphere. He didn't feel nauseous or want to vomit because of the crowds.

After visiting, I only had one thought: setting up a stall to sell food might be more enjoyable than being a tourist.

After all, this kind of thing is usually best enjoyed with family, friends, or a lover.

From the past to the present, Yuu Tenkuji has always been a loner, with no memories of watching fireworks with anyone or having fun at festivals with anyone during her youth.

When he was reborn, his parents had died and his sister was autistic. For the next few years, he worked hard to earn money. When he became rich, he could no longer find anyone he could consider a friend, and he had no interest in dating people he didn't like. He remained lonely and became a ruthless "achievement machine".

So this was the first time he had gone to a temple fair with someone, and they planned to find a good place to watch the fireworks display.

"Would it be more enjoyable?" he asked himself.

Of course, the answer to this question can only be given after everything is over.

To be honest, Yuu Tenkuji asked Iroha Isshiki to come out to the fireworks festival alone in order to confirm her feelings.

According to his guess, the system might only unlock the next clue to the final trial and break through the current situation that has been stuck for more than a month after he successfully got a girlfriend.

Even so, Yuu Tenkuji hates the feeling of being led by the nose by the system, and she doesn't want dating to be a means rather than an end—that would be no different from playing with a girl's feelings.

After all, he always considered himself a "pure," "devoted," "deeply affectionate," and "not promiscuous" good man, and all his relationships were aimed at marriage; he would never act like a scoundrel.

His goal was to complete the task by developing a mutually agreeable relationship, rather than simply dating any girl he found attractive in order to complete the task.

Now, Isshiki Iroha is that girl.

If today's interaction is the same as usual, then tell her your true feelings. If she still can't accept it, or is too heartbroken, then tell her everything about the system, the task, and your plans, hoping to gain her understanding.

Anyway, no confidentiality agreement was signed, so there's no punishment for telling the truth.

If today's interaction has moved you, then you should take the initiative to confess your feelings and cherish her from now on—even if she forgets everything that happened in the dream after leaving the trial, as long as you haven't forgotten, then no matter how many times you have to confess, you will be happy to do so.

...Luckily, I don't have a girlfriend in real life, I only need to deal with my sister, otherwise it would be troublesome.

Moreover, Isshiki is one of Sora's few friends. As long as he says nice things and assures her that he will never abandon her even if he gets a girlfriend, there shouldn't be any problem getting her to admit that they are dating.

With his mind racing with chaotic thoughts, Yuu Tenkuji suddenly thought of that beautiful girl who was as pure as an angel.

To be honest, he had hesitated about whether to invite Tachibana Kanade to come and visit the temple fair together...

He only thought that asking a girl out alone would show more sincerity, and that being alone with her would allow him to understand her feelings more deeply. In the end, he didn't even inform her and secretly asked Isshiki Hajime out to play behind Tachibana Kanade's back.

Will she show any obvious sadness after she finds out about this?

Do you feel like you've been ostracized by the two of them and become lonely?

Tenkuji Yushin felt a pang of pity, but quickly shook his head, dismissing the indecisive thought.

This is a problem we had to face sooner or later.

If they fail, that's one thing, but if they really realize they've fallen for Isshiki, then they'll inevitably have more opportunities to be alone with each other in the future, and they won't be able to act together with Tachibana Kanade from time to time like they used to.

There should always be a dividing line between lovers and friends—a perfect love triangle doesn't exist, and choices must always be made.

unless……

No, no, no, what normal high school student would date two girlfriends at once? Especially since one of them is that pure, innocent, and naive angel girl. This kind of scum will go to hell sooner or later, right?

The bold idea had only been in his head for a second when it was forcefully suppressed back into his mind by Yuu Tenkuji.

He slapped his cheeks hard to cheer himself up, clear his mind of all the jumbled thoughts, and focus all his attention on the date that was coming up.

This is the most basic respect you can show to your female partner.

Arriving at the riverbank where they were supposed to meet, standing beside the clear river reflecting the glow of the setting sun, Yuu Tenkuji flipped up her wrist and glanced at the hands of her watch.

"5:25... exactly five minutes early."

As for Isshiki Iroha, he estimated she would arrive more than ten minutes late—being late is every cute girl's right, and Isshiki Iroha would definitely not let it go easily.

Sure enough, he stood there scrolling through his phone for fifteen minutes.

"Sorry, senior~ I spent too much time on makeup and changing clothes, and I accidentally missed the train~"

A girl with short, flaxen hair waved her hand high as she ran towards him.

Along the way, many men were drawn to her, as if they had returned to their youth and were watching their first love wave and greet them.

Her meticulously styled hair was adorned with a delicate hibiscus flower, and her shoulder-length hair was braided into a quiet little braid. Her light makeup still retained her usual fashionable and playful sassy style, making her overall look absolutely flawless.

Naturally, the girl wore a cute, light blue yukata with intricate patterns. Her cinched waist was so slender it seemed as if it could be blown away by a strong wind at any moment. Although there was little visible curve above her waist, her fair arms that slipped out from the sleeves, her delicate pink fingertips that occasionally pinched the cuffs, and her small feet in wooden clogs all exuded a youthful liveliness unique to girls. Every move she made highlighted her adorable charm.

It wasn't an over-the-top display of adornment, nor was it flamboyant flattery—it was a woman dressing up for her lover, using every trick in the book to charm him.

"Ta-da~ How about it, am I cute enough?"

She stood right in front of him with a snap, and Iroha obediently raised her head, her big eyes blinking rapidly.

She skipped the scolding for being late, and instead smiled and opened her arms as if she was about to hug him.

However, just a few seconds later, she started spinning around with a light, mischievous grin, her fingers pinching her cuffs, her wooden clogs carefully twirling on the ground, the hem of her clothes fluttering like butterfly wings, and a fresh, rich fragrance wafting over along with the scent of shampoo.

—It seems she took a bath before putting on this yukata.

"Senior, have you finished reading? What's your opinion?"

I turned around and looked at him face to face again.

Ichiro Yu's pretty face flushed red, and even under the approaching night sky, her eyes still shone like stars, reflecting the brilliance of the girl's courage.

Tenkuji Yu looked her up and down carefully, just as she wished, then pinched his chin and fell into deep thought.

"strangeness."

"What's so strange?" Iroha Isshiki tilted her head slightly, a barely perceptible hint of tension in her eyes.

Tenkuji Yu frowned, looked into her eyes, and asked with feigned seriousness, "When did I meet such a cute girl? Can I ask for your phone number?"

"...Pfft! Pfft, hahahaha!"

At first, she seemed to pause, as if she hadn't heard clearly, then Iroha couldn't help but burst into laughter, laughing so hard she was bent over backwards: "S-Senpai, that's such an old-fashioned way to pick someone up! Even street thugs wouldn't say that anymore~"

Chapter 50 Is it a problem to hold hands on a date? (27/55)

"I'm not that old, am I? I'm more like Heisei era."

I was just trying to make her laugh, why should I suffer this kind of humiliation?

Tenkuji Yu rolled his eyes discreetly, placed his hand on her swaying head, and said irritably, "Alright, that's enough laughing. If you keep laughing, your hairstyle and makeup will be ruined, and your once-in-a-century beauty will be gone."

"No way! I've been preparing this meticulously since this morning... Oh!"

The words had barely left her mouth when she immediately covered her mouth with both hands. Her face, which had been laughing happily, quickly flushed crimson, and her large brown eyes stealthily glanced at him at a speed of five centimeters per second.

"Ugh, what did they even say?!"

She pouted, stomped her foot in embarrassment, and said in a coquettish voice, "Senior, forget it! I'm not really looking forward to this 'date' at all!"

Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but look down at her feet—being stepped on hard by these wooden clogs must hurt terribly, right?

He shook his head and chuckled, "Your acting skills are practically from the Showa era."

"Huh? Say that again if you dare?"

A girl's face can change in an instant, and her voice can be as cold as the Siberian wind.

I said, "It's about time we went."

Yuu Tenkuji chose to play it safe and followed the flow of people towards the venue of the temple fair, which was a nearby shrine.

Staring at his retreating figure, Isshiki Hachiman snorted coldly, her wooden clogs grinding forcefully into the muddy ground as if she wanted to firmly tread the riverbank.